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There are some fantastic Horse Racing events taking place this weekend, with the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes taking the highlights on Saturday, and you can make the most of the action at bet365.

The bet365 Price Promise will apply from 10am on the day of race, with prices constantly updated to ensure that you get the best price on every horse running. This offer only includes races shown live on Channel 4 unless otherwise stated by bet365. Best price or joint best price will be matched from the following list of Bookmakers: Ladbrokes, William Hill, Paddy Power, Coral, Betfred and Boylesports. Best Odds Guaranteed still applies. Excludes live shows, Enhanced Win, Ante-Post, In-Play prices and any enhancement to the SP at settlement.

That’s not all, at bet365 you will also have the chance to earn risk free bets with the Channel 4/1 Offer. Back any single winner at 4/1 or more on a race televised live on Channel 4 and bet365 will give you a risk free bet to the same stake (up to £50*) on the next live Channel 4 race. If your risk free bet also wins at odds of 4/1 or more, you will qualify for a risk free bet on the next live Channel 4 race. Keep backing those winners and bet365 will keep giving you risk free bets! If your risk free bet loses, your stake (up to £50*) will be refunded to your account.

This offer will not apply where a stake has been fully Cashed Out. Where a stake has been partially Cashed Out, any refund amount or subsequent risk free bet amount will be equal to the remaining active stake. Where more than one selection in the same race is placed on the same bet slip, the first selection is deemed to be the one which is highest on the bet slip. Bets must be paid for and placed in the usual way. Ante-Post bets, Enhanced win bets, Tote/Pari-Mutuel (bets and dividends), and ‘Not to Win’ bets are not applicable for this offer.

With fantastic offers, Live Streaming and an extensive range of betting opportunities – bet365 is a great place for all your Horse Racing betting.

Many of the joyful fans that filled Pimlico Race Course were in a celebratory mood. They watched Exaggerator pull away from third place finisher and Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, spoiling his bid for the Triple Crown.

However, near the celebration and cheers was a tragedy. Two horses were dead from earlier races and the only people that knew were race organizers and fans who got the news off their cell phones.

Homeboykris, a nine-year-old gelding that ran in the 2010 Kentucky Derby, collapsed after having his photo taken in the winner’s circle after placing first in the opening race of the day. In the fourth race, four-year-old filly Pramedya collapsed on the track with a fractured left leg and was euthanized on the track. The long bone between the ankle and knee was shattered and there was an open would. Doctors determined surgery could not help the horse.

Her jockey, Daniel Centeno, fractured his right clavicle after being thrown to the turf. The track was inspected after the fall but officials said everything was fine. There were no incidents reported on the muddy track during the Preakness.

Those who do not like horseracing made stinging comments about how cruel the sport is. If Sea World is shutting down its whale exhibit and the Ringling Brothers Circus it’s elephant shows, then why not abandon horseracing?

“It’s deflating,” Sal Sinatra, president of the Maryland Jockey Club told the Baltimore Sun. “You try to figure it out, go through so many steps to make sure the horses are OK. Things do happen.”

Roy and Gretchen Jackson are no strangers to putting a horse down. They also owned 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro who broke his leg during the Preakness two weeks later. They tried to figure out ways to save the horse but euthanized him later.

Race experts estimate that deaths occur between one in 500 to 1,000 races, experts said. The Equine Injury Database said 31 horses died at Pimlico from 2009 to 2015.

Tragedy Preakness Weekend

Homeboykris was considered to be in good shape. He raced four times this season and reported no leg problems.

Meanwhile, the Preakness was a great success. The race set an attendance record and drew a 6.2 overnight rating, up seven percent from last year. That boost can be attributed to Nyquist, who was trying to become the second horse in a row after American Pharaoh to win the Triple Crown.

Nyquist trainer Doug O’Neill blamed himself for an aggressive start to the race, which seemed to wear him down. However, it appeared as if Exaggerator was coming on strip during the Kentucky Derby, but ran out of room to win the race.

Now comes the rubber match on June 11 in Belmont, New York and the media is likely to play up a rivalry between the two horses although we doubt they have spoken to each other.

“We have to play that up as horse racing aficionados,” said Exaggerator trainer Keith Desormeaux. “You lose a lot of luster after a Derby winner is beaten because the Triple Crown chance is annihilated. We have to play up the rivalry, I guess. Keep people interested. There’s no way it’s going to compare to American Pharaoh last year, but it’s going to be fun for those of us immediately involved.”

If your risk free bet also wins at odds of 4/1 or more, you qualify for a risk free bet on the next bet365 Feature Race. Keep backing those winners and bet365 will keep giving you risk free bets! If your risk free bet loses, your stake (up to £50*) will be refunded to your account.

This offer will not apply where a stake has been fully Cashed Out. Where a stake has been partially Cashed Out, any refund amount or subsequent risk free bet amount will be equal to the remaining active stake. Where more than one selection in the same race is placed on the same bet slip, the first selection is deemed to be the one which is highest on the bet slip. Bets must be paid for and placed in the usual way. Ante-Post bets, Enhanced win bets, Tote/Pari-Mutuel (bets and dividends), and ‘Not to Win’ bets are not applicable for this offer.

*or currency equivalent

This offer is available with bet365 on two races per day when there is no scheduled live Channel 4 racing.

With the Belmont Stakes Racing just days away, this may be a good time to examine how the Belmont Park surface played during the day when the third jewel of the Triple Crown was run last year.

Only the dirt races will be evaluated as we will attempt to get a crystal ball look at how the surface may play this year when American Pharoah attempts to become the 12th runner to win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes.

Belmont Stakes Racing

First, the track itself first opened in May of 1905. It is known as the ‘Championship Track’ because nearly every major champion in history raced at Belmont including all 11 Triple Crown winners.

The main Belmont track is nicknamed ‘Big Sandy’ and is the longest dirt track in North American at a mile and a half. From the top of the stretch to the finish line runners have to negotiate 1,097 feet.

The track is always well sported but when an event like a possible Triple Crown winner is in prospect, the people will come.

When Smarty Jones was trying to win the Belmont and complete the Triple Crown in 2004 over 120,000 people witnessed his defeat at the hands of Birdstone.

Belmont Stakes Racing

In the first race on Belmont Stakes day last year, the racehorse Jimmy Connors was stretching out from 7 furlongs to a mile and a sixteenth and he made the lead rather easily. The eventual 5-2 winner Wabbajack sat 2 and a half-lengths off the lead early before winning going away.

The second race was run at the same 8 and a half furlongs and a deep closer prevailed. Kid Cruz was dead last early at 3-1 but he got into contention at the top of the land and drew off to win by over 3 lengths.

The Brooklyn Invitational was next and it was run at the exact same distance of the Belmont Stakes so there is a good gauge there.

The third choice in the race Ground Transport made the lead but Joel Rosario aboard Norumbega had his measure all the way. That eventual winner was 5th early, was a length off the lead with a furlong to go and got up by a neck at 10-1. He was timed in 2.27.13 compared to the winning Belmont Stakes time of 2:28.52.

Sprinters were in the spotlight next in the 7-furlong Woody Stephens and Bayern got the ideal 2-hole trip and he drew off to win by 7 and a half-lengths.

Sophomore fillies went a mile in the next race, the 6th, and the winner Sweet Reason was 11th of 13 early, rallied to get within a length of the lead at the top of the lane and cashed by a half-length.

Older fillies and mares competed next in the Ogden Phipps Stakes and champion Close Hatches was in the garden spot early sitting third and won by a head when 3 horses were on the line together.

The 8th race was on grass, the 9th was the Met Mile and again the winner Palace Malice got a perfect garden trip and got up by a length.

The Manhattan on grass set up the stage for the Belmont Stakes. In the Classic last year Commissioner went to the lead at 28-1 and he almost pulled it off. He had a length and a half lead at the top of the lane but once again, the horse that sat third early, Tonalist, won a stirring stretch battle to get up by a head at 9-1.

All in all, the Belmont surface last year played fair, but runners that had tactical speed, seemed to thrive.

With Sole Power and Gordon Lord Byron both failing to fire, Mustajeeb came from just off the pace in the hands of Pat Smullen to show a decisive turn of foot inside the final furlong.

Trainer Dermot Weld is now preparing to send Mustajeeb to Royal Ascot, where he won over seven furlongs in the Jersey Stakes 12 months ago.

Sparkling Mustajeeb

Weld said: “The obvious race for him is the Diamond Jubilee over six at Royal Ascot and he’s also in the July Cup.”

Mustajeeb is 11.00 to win the Diamind Jubilee Stakes.

Mustajeeb’s sire Nayef was a four-time Group One winner over middle distances and his son finished third behind Kingman in the Irish 2000 Guineas last season. Mustajeeb also finished sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile on his final start last season.

His win in the Greenlands Stakes formed part of a big-race double for owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, who also struck on the other side of the Irish Sea with Mutarakez in the Silver Bowl Stakes at Haydock.

Mutarakez took time to hit his stride, but looked a cosy winner in the end and he will also have Royal Ascot on his agenda for his next race.

Brian Meehan will wait to see what the handicapper does before deciding whether to keep Mutarakez at a mile for the Britannia or step him up to 1m2f for the Tercentenary Stakes.

Looking for extra value on your racing bets? View all the latest Horse Racing promotions on offer with bet365 Extra.

Even the smallest margin can make a huge difference when it comes to betting on a race like the Kentucky Derby and when it comes to American Pharoah it’s his jockey Victor Espinoza that is expected to give him the greater edge in this race. Espinoza helped California Chrome win this race 12 months ago and he already has two Kentucky Derby victories on his resume so it’s no surprise that his horse is the favorite considering it’s already the most likely horse to win in this group regardless. American Pharoah’s excellent endurance will be among the biggest keys to its success and the ability to make snap decisions in the midst of the race is crucial and that is where Espinoza’s experience will really pay off the most. Anything can happen in The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports but American Pharoah has all of the attributes of a horse that should be favored to win.

The Contenders

Dortmund +325

Like American Pharoah, Dortmund is another Bob Baffert trained horse that has ahead a lot of success so far winning all six of his races to this point. Dortmund was also fortunate to get probably the best post-position of any horse listed among the favorites so if there is one horse that really has a strong chance at edging out American Pharoah it should be Dortmund.

Carpe Diem +900

Carpe Diem is the first of two horses on this list trained by Todd Pletcher and was listed even closer behind Dortmund before his post-position was revealed and it was learned he will start from the No. 2 spot. Starting on the inside track is never favorable and while this horse has the potential to overcome that starting spot it certainly won’t help Carpe Diem’s chances of competing with American Pharoah and Dortmund for the victory.

Materiality +1400

Anybody that is cautious about taking Carpe Diem from the No. 2 starting position will likely be just as wary when it comes to taking Materiality after it was announced that this horse will start from the No. 3 spot. The second of Pletcher’s top two horses that also happened to have a terrible post draw, Materiality will also be overlooked in many aspects but could still be among the top contenders to place.

Sleeper Pick

Far Right +3300

The best potential sleeper pick on the board is a horse that finished second to American Pharoah in the Arkansas Derby in Far Right. Another Pletcher entry, Far Right was a back-to-back winner in the Southwest Stakes and the Smarty Jones. The fact that this horse finished second to American Pharoah at the Arkansas Derby alone is reason to feel confident about its chances and at long odds it makes a lot of sense to take Far Right as a sleeper pick to at least place in this weekend’s Kentucky Derby.

With our bet365 Price Promise we will constantly update our prices for all races shown live on Channel 4 to ensure that we offer the best price on every horse running.

Every week there are a host of superb races broadcast live on Channel 4 and, as always, our fantastic offers will ensure that you get the best value.

This offer applies to all bets placed from 10am when a race is being shown live on Channel 4. Best price or joint best price will be matched from the following list of Bookmakers: Ladbrokes, William Hill, Paddy Power, Coral, Totesport and Boylesports. Best Odds Guaranteed still applies. Excludes ante-post prices.

The following Bookmakers’ prices are included in this offer: Ladbrokes, William Hill, Paddy Power, Coral, Totesport and Boylesports.
Offer applies only to races shown on Channel 4 until 31st March 2015.
Offer only includes races broadcast on Channel 4 unless otherwise stated by bet365.
Offer does not apply to Ante-Post prices, live shows or In-Play prices.
If any of the Bookmakers listed release a price that bet365 deem to be an obvious error then that price will not be included for the purpose of this offer.
In the event of Channel 4 amending their coverage from that originally planned, the offer will apply only to those races that are advertised in the schedule above.
bet365 reserves the right to amend, cancel, reclaim or refuse any promotion at its own discretion.Offer does not include any enhanced win only prices.